49. Chapter 49 (1/2)

thank you for all the reviews and follows! i am glad so many enjoyed jane sending her mother across the room. i won't lie, i giggled when i wrote it. and when she threw the pillow. i can't see jane acting out too much, but i have personally never met a woman who wasn't irritable in labor. i know i threatened a couple of people because i thought they were too loud. lol.

short chapter, but it is the end of this part of the story.

he is handsome, isn't he?" jane smiled at her son. she had delivered him hours ago, but it was still early morning. amelia and mary would be joining them soon. they were the only one's remaining who had yet to see the babe. mary had been gracious enough to stay with the child through her mother's labor. amelia had been very nervous for her mother.

"well, considering how attractive his parents are, i am not surprised," quipped her husband.

"ever the modest one."

"i do try."

"what shall we name him?"

"what was wrong with the name we had before?"

"robert just doesn't suit him."

"how can a name not suit him? a person has whatever name their parents grant them. if we decided to name him lucy, then that would be his name."

he laughed at her unamused expression. shaking her head, she smiled back at her son. he was so beautiful. the anguish from the day before was long behind her. her heart was so full, she was sure it would burst. opening his eyes, their son looked into her own. finally, it came to her.

"benedict."

"what?"

"his name is benedict."

"benedict"

"yes, is there a problem?"

oliver looked his son over. the infant was studying his mother. he rolled the name over in his mind a few times.

"benedict. alright. welcome to the world, benedict andrews."

"darling, come to bed. you need to rest."

"i can't, benjamin. you don't understand, i'm going to have to do the same thing in in the spring. i don't think i can do it!"

"catherine, everything is going to be fine."

"what do you know?!" she sobbed. "your part is done! all you have to do is wait in the drawing room for someone to present your child to you."

"sweetheart,"

"don't sweetheart me!"

"you're right, i won't have to endure what you will. i will be an absolute mess, but it will be nothing compared to what you will be doing. i dread it as much as i look forward to it, but we can't fear the future. we can, however, look forward to its promise."